GNR vs. XLE

Last updated Apr 2, 2026

Compare and contrast key facts about SPDR S&P Global Natural Resources ETF (GNR) and State Street Energy Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLE).

GNR and XLE are both exchange-traded funds (ETFs), meaning they are traded on stock exchanges and can be bought and sold throughout the day. GNR is a passively managed fund by State Street that tracks the performance of the S&P Global Natural Resources Index. It was launched on Sep 13, 2010. XLE is a passively managed fund by State Street that tracks the performance of the Energy Select Sector Index. It was launched on Dec 16, 1998. Both GNR and XLE are passive ETFs, meaning that they are not actively managed but aim to replicate the performance of the underlying index as closely as possible.

Performance

GNR vs. XLE - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in SPDR S&P Global Natural Resources ETF (GNR) and State Street Energy Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLE). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

GNR vs. XLE - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
GNR SPDR S&P Global Natural Resources ETF	19.84%	28.68%	-8.27%	2.95%	10.20%	24.73%	-0.03%	16.49%	-13.19%	22.64%
XLE State Street Energy Select Sector SPDR ETF	32.76%	7.88%	5.56%	-0.63%	64.32%	53.28%	-32.67%	11.74%	-18.22%	-0.89%

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, GNR achieves a 19.84% return, which is significantly lower than XLE's 32.76% return. Both investments have delivered pretty close results over the past 10 years, with GNR having a 11.63% annualized return and XLE not far behind at 11.23%.

GNR

• 1D: -0.27%
• 1M: -1.86%
• YTD: 19.84%
• 6M: 27.71%
• 1Y: 43.54%
• 3Y*: 13.30%
• 5Y*: 11.99%
• 10Y*: 11.63%

XLE

• 1D: -3.74%
• 1M: 4.06%
• YTD: 32.76%
• 6M: 34.01%
• 1Y: 29.50%
• 3Y*: 16.22%
• 5Y*: 23.05%
• 10Y*: 11.23%

*Multi-year figures are annualized to reflect compound growth (CAGR)

GNR vs. XLE - Expense Ratio Comparison

GNR has a 0.40% expense ratio, which is higher than XLE's 0.08% expense ratio.

GNR

SPDR S&P Global Natural Resources ETF

XLE

State Street Energy Select Sector SPDR ETF

Return for Risk

GNR vs. XLE — Risk / Return Rank

Compare risk-adjusted metric ranks to identify better-performing investments over the past 12 months.

GNR

GNR Risk / Return Rank: 91
GNR Sharpe Ratio Rank: 91
GNR Sortino Ratio Rank: 91
GNR Omega Ratio Rank: 92
GNR Calmar Ratio Rank: 89
GNR Martin Ratio Rank: 95

XLE

XLE Risk / Return Rank: 58
XLE Sharpe Ratio Rank: 65
XLE Sortino Ratio Rank: 59
XLE Omega Ratio Rank: 61
XLE Calmar Ratio Rank: 61
XLE Martin Ratio Rank: 43

The rank (0–100) shows how this investment's returns compare to the risk taken. Higher = better. Based on the past 12 months of data, combining Sharpe, Sortino, and other metrics used by quantitative funds and institutional investors.

GNR vs. XLE - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for SPDR S&P Global Natural Resources ETF (GNR) and State Street Energy Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLE). Risk-adjusted metrics are performance indicators that assess an investment's returns in relation to its risk, enabling a more accurate comparison of different investment options.

	GNR	XLE	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	2.11	1.18	+0.94
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	2.71	1.56	+1.14
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.41	1.23	+0.18
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	2.98	1.61	+1.37
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	15.59	4.23	+11.36
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

GNR vs. XLE - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current GNR Sharpe Ratio is 2.11, which is higher than the XLE Sharpe Ratio of 1.18. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of GNR and XLE, offering insights into how both investments have performed under varying market conditions. These values are calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months.

Sharpe Ratios by Period

	GNR	XLE	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	2.11	1.18	+0.94
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.59	0.89	-0.30
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.53	0.38	+0.15
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.26	0.31	-0.05

Correlation

The correlation between GNR and XLE is 0.79, which is considered to be high. That indicates a strong positive relationship between their price movements. Having highly-correlated positions in a portfolio may signal a lack of diversification, potentially leading to increased risk during market downturns.

Dividends

GNR vs. XLE - Dividend Comparison

GNR's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 2.31%, less than XLE's 2.53% yield.

	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
GNR SPDR S&P Global Natural Resources ETF	2.31%	2.76%	4.73%	3.37%	4.37%	3.44%	2.78%	3.84%	3.51%	2.40%	2.06%	4.59%
XLE State Street Energy Select Sector SPDR ETF	2.53%	3.28%	3.36%	3.55%	3.68%	4.21%	5.62%	6.72%	3.54%	3.03%	2.26%	3.39%

Drawdowns

GNR vs. XLE - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum GNR drawdown since its inception was -51.37%, smaller than the maximum XLE drawdown of -71.26%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for GNR and XLE.

Drawdown Indicators

	GNR	XLE	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-51.37%	-71.26%	+19.89%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-14.80%	-18.79%	+3.99%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-25.66%	-26.04%	+0.38%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-48.59%	-66.81%	+18.22%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-1.86%	-5.74%	+3.88%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-15.10%	-18.05%	+2.95%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	2.83%	7.15%	-4.32%

Volatility

GNR vs. XLE - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for SPDR S&P Global Natural Resources ETF (GNR) is 5.51%, while State Street Energy Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLE) has a volatility of 6.45%. This indicates that GNR experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than XLE based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	GNR	XLE	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	5.51%	6.45%	-0.94%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	13.76%	14.46%	-0.70%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	20.70%	25.21%	-4.51%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	20.35%	26.09%	-5.74%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	22.01%	29.50%	-7.49%